Stories from Inside the Music Business, and the People Trying to Fix It

Welcome to Streams of Thought.

There’s a gap between the story streaming platforms tell and the one independent artists actually live. That gap is where Divvy Music was born—and it’s also where this new space lives.

Welcome to Streams of Thought. A running collection of true stories, hot takes, frustrations, and forward-thinking solutions from the people who live and breathe independent music—on stage, behind the scenes, and in the trenches, in their own words.

We’re starting with my words today though, as I tell you about a person familiar to anyone who’s spent time in Asbury Park. He was the inspiration of this series, and Divvy as a whole:

Matt Fernicola, aka Fern.

Fern is the co-founder of Telegraph Hill Records, a prolific live show producer, and front-man of The Foes of Fern. He’s built his career booking his own tours, building one of the most recognizable bands in the area, and creating community-first events like What a Wonderful Year and SurviFern. Fern is one of the good guys, making creative things opportunities for indies and events that fans love. 

He’s also one of the first people I ever talked to about Divvy. And I’ll never forget the look on his face.

He smiled politely, nodded like a supportive friend, and said:

“Cool idea. But no one’s going to use it. No one is going to quit Spotify. And I need Spotify specifically to book tours. ”

Fair enough. That’s a common reaction—and one of the biggest misconceptions we face. Fern wasn’t wrong: out-of-town venues do check Spotify numbers before they book a band. Streaming numbers are used as shorthand for success. That’s just how it works.

But here’s what I told him—and what I’ve told a lot of artists since: We’re not asking anyone, artists or fans, to quit Spotify. Or to switch anything. Or to do more work. We’re asking them to add Divvy to the mix. That’s it.

And our research shows 56% of people using streaming services subscribe to 2 or more of them already. The hustle musicians are already doing—sharing links, building fanbases, playing shows, promoting releases—can work twice as hard when you recycle some of that energy into Divvy.

Divvy is being designed to reward artists for building local followings, for making real connections with fans who show up offline. And the more Divvy grows, the more those numbers mean something in booking emails, tour planning, and actual revenue.

Over time, Fern came around. He saw that Divvy wasn’t here to “disrupt” the industry—it’s here to repair the parts that have been broken for too long.

“You’re not trying to replace the system. You’re trying to re-balance it.” Yes, exactly.

So he signed on. Not just as an artist, but as an advisor, helping to make it work the best it can for indie musicians and  to bring this idea to the larger music community. I am so grateful for him. Cause I really don’t wanna fuck this up. It’s not about knowing everything indies right off the bat, it’s about knowing who to ask. 

This Is Just the Beginning. The concept of Divvy Music, a way to pool the power indies have, was a direct result of many conversations with Fern over the years. I have been seeing input from those in the trenches ever since, because none of this makes sense if it doesn't work for the artists and fans far better than the options they have now. I think it starts local, channeling the power of community and grows to music cities across the country so they can do the same. 

“You’re not trying to replace the system. You’re trying to re-balance it.” -Matt "Fern" Fernicola

Streams of Thought will keep growing—with voices from across the indie music world. Some funny. Some brutally honest. All grounded in lived experience. We can't wait for you to meet the guest authors we have on deck!

If you’re a musician, a fan, a local showgoer, or just someone who wants artists to get paid fairly, we hope you’ll follow along—and help us build something better. And if you'd like to contribute an article, contact at hey@divvymusic.com 👉 Support Divvy Music on Spotfund. Because the algorithm shouldn’t own the future of music.